


Turn Off The Lights

by JulianAlbertsCat (AdhdBarryAllen)



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: AU where Oliver can actually run a company, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Cinderella AU, M/M, Olivarry Week 2016, Song Lyrics, glee refrences
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-07-12 13:52:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7107574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdhdBarryAllen/pseuds/JulianAlbertsCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver is forced to throw a ball to find a wife. Instead he is knocked off his feet by the one and only Barry Allen, who is there by coincidence (and who happens to be a fantastic singer).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second time that phones have ruined a perfectly good make-out session. Well, not exactly good, but that's cause i wrote it.  
> Happy Olivarry week!  
>  **The title and lyrics are from[Turn Off The Lights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kSKtqo6a0s) by Panic! At The Disco.**
> 
> Update 12/28/2016: Chapter 1 edited

Oliver knew hosting this party was a terrible idea. He had only agreed to it to make his mother happy, but he didn't believe for a second that hosting a ball of all things would help him find a wife. True love was unlikely for a man like him, and finding it at a party full of strangers was _definitely_ not going to happen.

Unfortunately, his mother was hell-bent on him being married. She hadn't even bothered to ask if that was something he wanted, which was frustrating. But Moira Queen was a stubborn woman, and once she had an idea, she saw it through to the end. He feared how she would react if he told her that women weren’t usually the ones to catch his eye.

His sister Thea was the only person he had come out to. She was supportive of his sexuality and sympathetic to his frustrations about the ball, but she never said no to a good party. She was, however, disappointed along with Oliver when they discovered that the turnout was mostly ladies. She had been hoping to move on from her boyfriend Roy, who had recently broken up with her and moved away.

Oliver was not really in the mood for socializing, but the sight of his mother storming his way changed his mind. She was clearly planning on lecturing him for not participating in his own party. He sent Thea a panicked look and she immediately waltzed his way.

“Ollie! I just met some _lovely_ ladies that you should _really_ dance with,” Thea said, pulling him out of his seat at the Queen family table.

Oliver was shoved into the arms of a woman in the lowest cut red dress he had ever seen. She had beautiful long black hair and was dressed to impress somebody; given the circumstances it was probably him. He wrapped his arm around her waist as they began to dance to the agonizingly slow music. He just had to make it look like he was enjoying himself, that way his mother would stop trying to press the issue of marriage.

“So,” he said, laying on his classic playboy voice on thick. “Are you enjoying yourself tonight?”

“Of course,” the woman said with a coy smile. “I was hoping I would have a chance to dance with the man of the hour, I was surprised to not see you out here sooner.”

“I’m here now, aren't I? What's your name?” Not like he would remember it.

“Valerie,” she supplied.

“That's a lovely na-”

They were interrupted by Barry Allen, dressed in what was clearly a rental tuxedo as he barreled into Oliver, knocking him to the ground.

“Oh, I am _so_ sorry, I should've watched where I was going and-” A look of horror crossed his face as he realized who he was talking to. “Oh my god you’re him. You’re Oliver Queen. Fuck, I’m such a klutz!” he cursed, extended a hand and pulling Oliver to his feet.

Oliver was studying this man. He had that perfect, fluffy brown hair that made him want to run his fingers through it and an expression that was so genuinely sorry that it made being upset impossible.

“Would you like to dance,” Oliver asked, surprising even himself.

Barry nodded vigorously. “Please.”

“So you're just going to forgive this loser for crashing into you?!” Valerie cut in. “And then you're going to _dance_ with this homo?”

Barry flinched.

Oliver stepped between them. “No one deserves to be talked to like that, and if you’re going to continue to be rude and homophobic, I suggest you leave.”

“Fine,” she huffed, turning on her heel and storming away.

Barry sighed in relief. “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” Oliver replied. “Now, how about that dance?”

The other man smiled, and Oliver swore his whole face lit up as he took him by the hand. His dance partner had clearly never taken lessons, but did better than expected as Oliver guided him through the steps.

“So,” Oliver began. “What brings you here tonight?” He found this mystery man intriguing. His mother would never approve of course, but Oliver couldn’t find the effort to care.

“Well, the band’s singer dropped out at the last minute, so my best friend Iris convinced me to fill in. She's practically my fairy godmother. That, and she’s totally in love with you, so she’s my plus one. I usually don’t do this sort of thing, so we rented this tux, and-” he stopped suddenly, and Oliver raised an eyebrow. “I’m babbling. I do that a lot, I’m really sorry.”

“Don't be,” Oliver assured. “It’s kind of adorable.”

Barry flushed scarlet. “I, uh, I should go. The band is almost done setting up, and I’m up next.”

Oliver nodded. “Good luck.”

He flashed Oliver a goofy smile, then ran off to the stage. His heart was racing, either from nervousness, or maybe because he just danced with _Oliver Queen_ of all people. Barry walked up to the stage and tapped lightly on the microphone.

“We’re the Warblers, I hope you enjoy.”

The music started, and he tapped his foot lightly to the beat. He could see Oliver watching him from the crowd as a nameless girl tried to get his attention. He smiled at the thought of Oliver choosing to look at him instead of a pretty girl. Then he opened his mouth and sang.

_“I got so sick of being on my own, now the devil won't leave me alone_

_It_ _’s almost like I_ _’ve found a friend_ _…_

 _Who_ _’s in it till the bitter end..._ _”_

He could hear Iris cheering him on from the crowd. He gave a wink, accompanied by a cocky smile.

 _“Our consciences are always so much heavier than our egos,_ _”_ He continued. People were starting to dance now, but he could still feel Oliver’s gaze on him.

 _“I set my expectations high, so nothing ever comes out right!_ _”_ He swayed gracefully to the music. Barry was naturally a clumsy person, but on stage, he felt… different. Performing made him feel alive, like a whole new person. Barry knew that the trick to a good performance was to always look like you're having fun.

_“Turn off the lights, turn off the lights_

_Turn on the charm for me tonight_

_I've got my heavy heart to hold me down_

_Once it falls apart my head's in the clouds_

_So, I'm taking every chance I got_

_Like the man I know I'm not_ _…”_

Somehow, the stage took away all of his insecurity. In this moment, everyone loved him; he was untouchable.

By the end of the song, he had everyone dancing, and when he hit that last note, the room erupted in applause. He had never felt so amazing in his life.

“Thank you very much,” Barry said, completely breathless as he made his way off the stage.

Oliver swam through the crowd to meet the man who he was suddenly fascinated with. “That was, you were amazing!” Oliver said breathlessly.

“Oh, uh, thanks!” Barry replied bashfully. “That really means a lot to me.”

Oliver was staring at him again, and he certainly wasn't being subtle about it. “I never got your name,” He finally said.

“Barry. It’s Barry.”

“Well, Barry, has anyone told you that not only are you a fantastic singer, but that you also have fantastic eyes.”

Barry laughed. “Are you _flirting_ with me?”

Oliver gave him that signature bad boy smile, but he was blushing furiously.  “I suppose I am.”

“Wasn't the purpose of this ball to find you a _wife_?”

“It wasn't my idea.”

“Yeah? Well from what I’ve heard, Oliver Queen does whatever he wants, so what are you going to do instead?”

“This,” Oliver said in a rumbly voice that made Barry’s knees go weak. He was convinced they were going to completely give out when Oliver grabbed him by the lapels and kissed him hard. In _public_.

Barry was terrified of what might happen, but at the same time that thrilled him. It was an exhilaration that he had never felt before, and he certainly didn't want it to stop now. Oliver’s hands made their way through his hair as they moved against each other, not stopping for the opinions of anyone. It didn't matter if the majority of these people were aggressively conservative. Barry had been untouchable on that stage, and he was untouchable now, kissing Oliver Fucking Queen.

“Let’s take this somewhere else,” He heard Oliver say.

“Lead the way, Prince Charming.”

Oliver took him by the hand and lead him through the maze that was the Queen mansion. They had made their way up the stairs to his room when Barry kissed him again. They were feverishly making out against the door, almost falling through when Oliver clicked open the handle.

Barry kicked off his shoes and let Oliver push him onto his bed as the other man sucked his way down his neck. Those were definitely going to bruise. He pulled Oliver’s expensive jacket off and moved on to the infuriating buttons of the man’s shirt. His own shirt had been partially unbuttoned, but Oliver was more focused on giving him hickies that would be a pain in the ass to cover up later.

“Take off your pants,” Oliver murmured. The words sent a shiver down Barry’s spine.

Barry was tempted to tell Oliver that he could tell him to do anything with that tone of voice, but the buzzing of his phone prevented him. He hadn't planned on answering it, really, but one glance at the Caller ID told him this call was too important to ignore. The adrenaline from kissing Oliver was replaced with fear. It was from Iron Heights Prison.

“Shit!” Barry rolled out from underneath Oliver and ran out the door before he could ask why.

It didn't take long for Oliver to realize that Barry had forgotten his shoes.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For six months since that night, Oliver had been searching for Barry. He has all but given up hope, but is forced to move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so I am terrible.  
> It's hard to believe I started this six months ago, and I'm only now giving you chapter 2. I want to thank everyone who commented, reminding me to write more, and those of you who subscribed.  
> A couple things about this AU- There are no super powers or island shenanigans, so Oliver learned how to not be a dick without the the help of any outside forces. Robert Queen is still dead, but of natural causes. After her husband's death, Moira Queen became more distant with her children (I'm sorry to make her the villain of this, I really do like her). Barry is 25, Oliver is 27, Starling City is in California, and Central City is in Missouri. I think that's it!  
> This chapter is heavy on Oliver's POV, I hope you enjoy :)

It had been six months. Six months of searching every inch of Starling City, but to no avail.

Moira begged Oliver to give up. If he hadn’t found his mystery boy by now, then surely, he never would, she told him. It was clear that she didn’t want him to find Barry. And so, for six months, Oliver had looked for him, clinging to the hope of seeing him again.

There wasn’t a “Barry” in Starling that was his Barry’s age. He likely went by a nickname, but a Google search of all the Bartholomew’s in the city was still largely unhelpful. Either Barry had lied about his name, or he didn’t live in Starling City. Oliver didn’t have his last name either, making Moira’s argument that they would never find each other all the more convincing.

During the six months, Oliver could say he had grown as a person. He took up a job at Queen Consolidated, much to his mother’s joy, and he found that he was actually _good_ at it. He had also moved out. Twenty-seven years living with his parents was far too many, and the judgmental glances from his mother any time he mentioned Barry’s name was too much for him.

Having his own place was liberating. Of course, he didn’t have a maid to clean for him, but he found that doing housework gave him a sense of normalcy. Home was a place where he could be _Oliver_ , not the CEO of Queen Consolidated.

And yet, something was still missing. Every time he glanced at Barry’s red Converse, waiting by the door, his heart ached. The memories from the ball played on repeat in his mind: the glow of the lights, Barry’s unearthly voice, his red lips against Oliver’s as they rolled around in his bed…

He had to believe they would see each other again. He _had_ to.

+++

“You’re transferring me?” Oliver was shocked.

“Yes, Oliver. We’re opening a division of Queen Consolidated in Central City to better manage our partnership with STAR Labs, and we need someone to run it. You’re the only one I trust to do it,” Moira explained.

“I thought you were finally happy with me,” Oliver said, voice shaking. “I took control of the company, like you wanted, and now you’re sending me _away._ ”

“Yes, because I _trust_ you’ll do the best job. You’ve proved that you can run this company, and now I’m giving you the opportunity to further its legacy!” Moira half shouted, exasperated. “Your lease is up at the end of the month—what’s keeping you here? Thea and I will visit you often. And it’s not as though you’ll find your _Barry_ here.”  Oliver bristled at the way she practically spat his name.

“You might say you’re proud of me, but deep down you’re ashamed that your son ever _dared_ to fall in love with a _man_.” Oliver retorted, turning on his heel and walking out of his mother’s office.

“So, will you take the job or not, Oliver?” Moira called after him.

“It’s not like you’ve given me much choice,” He replied before stepping into the elevator. He had a _lot_ of packing to do.

+++

Packing up his apartment didn’t take long. He had never been a very sentimental person, so it was easy to disassemble the place that he had lived in for the past few months. Tommy and Thea had offered to help out, but Oliver had politely declined. Most of it was furniture, with a few paintings and picture frames anyhow.

He packed up the foyer closet, having put away all of his jackets and most of his shoes, but he stopped at Barry’s red sneakers. Did he even want them anymore? Leaving this city behind meant leaving the place where he had met Barry. It felt like he was moving away from the hope of ever finding him. If he left the shoes behind, he was finally moving on. Oliver wasn’t sure if he wanted that.

At the last minute, Oliver shoved the shoes into the box. Maybe he wasn’t ready to give up after all.

The movers came and went early in the morning, taking his belongings to drive them to his new place in Central. Staring at the emptiness of his apartment, Oliver couldn’t help but reflect on how final this all was. He was leaving Starling City, moving across the country. Oliver had never lived anywhere other than Starling before! Sure, he had traveled the world with his parents, but they always came back to Starling. He had never thought that one day he would be leaving them.

His mother had asked him what he had left for him in this city. At the time, he would have argued that he had plenty of people worth staying for, but now, he wasn’t so sure. There was Laurel and Tommy, but Laurel had moved on from Oliver and Tommy had felt distant since he began dating Laurel. Sara had long since moved away, to be with her long-distance girlfriend, last he had heard. The only person he would truly miss was Thea. Thea was strong though, and she didn’t need him anymore.

A honk from outside alerted him that his ride was here. He grabbed his two suitcases and went out to meet it.

From inside the limo, Oliver pulled out his phone and dialed Thea’s number. He was somewhat relieved it went to voicemail; leaving a message would be easier than having a conversation.

“Hey, Speedy, it’s Oliver,” He began. “I’m on my way to the airport, so I wanted to call to say I love you. I may be moving to the Midwest now, but I’m always going to be here for you. If things get rough with Mom, don’t hesitate to give me a call—you’re always welcome to stay with me. Anyways, I love you. Bye.”

He hung up, leaning his head back against the seat with a sigh. Everything was changing so quickly, and Oliver wasn’t sure he’d be fast enough to keep up.

Oliver arrived in Central City late that night. The flight hadn’t been long, but Oliver was exhausted. He was thankful his driver had taken him to his new home quickly; all he wanted right now was to shower and go straight to bed.

He fumbled with his keys, and the lock was sticking slightly, but finally, the door opened. Oliver sighed in a mixture of relief and exhaustion. The movers hadn’t delivered much of his furniture, but thankfully they had brought his mattress. He set his bags by the bed and collapsed onto it, falling easily into a dreamless sleep.

+++

Oliver had been up since four in the morning, cursing his jet lag. Finally, it was 6am, and a reasonable time to start the day. Today was his first day at the new Queen Consolidated branch, and god, was he nervous. It would be his first time meeting with the board of directors for this branch, and if his past experiences served as any indication, first impressions were _everything_.

He put on one of the few suits he had packed, grabbed his keys, and was out the door in record time. He had to be, if he was going to have time to stop for coffee.

His driver pulled up to the curb of a coffee shop with a large sign that read “CC Jitters.” Oliver assured him that he didn’t need his driver to come in with him. He was only getting coffee, after all.

The inside of the coffee shop was warm and inviting, and it brought a smile to Oliver’s face. The atmosphere of Central City was so much different than Starling. Central City was bright, green and welcoming, whereas Starling City was much darker. Starling was so full of dirt and crime, but there was not much he could do about it now; he had gotten out.

A beautiful, dark skinned barista greeted him at the counter. “Hi, welcome to Jitters! What can I get you…?” She trailed off, eyes sparking with recognition. “Oh, my god, you’re Oliver Queen.”

Oliver nodded. “Just a black coffee please.”

“I’ll brew you a fresh pot,” the barista replied hurriedly.

“There’s really no need,” His eyes trailed down to her name tag. “Iris.”

His mind wandered back to the night of the ball. Hadn’t Barry said his best friend was named Iris? The chance of this being the same Iris was slim, but Oliver was still desperate to find the adorable man from that night.

“You wouldn’t happen to know a Barry, would you?” He asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

“Barry Allen? Actually, yeah! He’s my best friend!” she replied, and Oliver felt his heart soar.

“Do you know where I can find him?”

“Well, he’s coming in to get his coffee right now,” Iris supplied.

Oliver spun around, and sure enough, there he was. The mystery man that he had spent half a year searching for was finally in front of him. Here, in Central City of all places. What were the chances?

“Barry Allen,” he breathed, the last name rolling off his tongue. He moved unconsciously, walking up to him without hesitation.

“Oliver, I… I never thought I’d see you again”

“I always hoped I would find you.” Oliver smiled; a genuine smile for once. “Listen, I need to get my coffee and go to work, but I’ll give you my number.” He pulled out a pen and began writing on Barry’s arm. “Please, let me take you out for dinner.”

Barry nodded dumbly, still surprised that _Oliver Queen_ was here, asking him out. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so surprised—after all, he _had_ almost had sex with him—but he had never expected Oliver to show up in Central still be interested in him!

His eyes drifted down to the numbers on his arm, then back up to Oliver’s lips. It was so tempting to kiss him, but still a terrible idea. He didn’t want to risk outing Oliver or anything. Barry took a step towards the counter, but Oliver stopped him, capturing his lips hard and fast. When he pulled away, Barry was frozen in shock, face bright red.

“Please,” Oliver whispered. “Call me.”

 He walked past Barry smoothly, grabbing his coffee then walked out the door. Barry brought a hand up to his lips, still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

Iris let out a low whistle. “Barry Allen, you have some _explaining_ to do.”

+++

For the rest of the day, Oliver was distracted. He had planned on making his first day productive, but instead, all he could think about was Barry, rather than the employees he welcomed to the company. After all this time, Oliver had finally _found_ him again. And to think, his mother had sent him away so he would get over him.

He checked his phone obsessively, hoping to hear from Barry, but there was only an email from his mother, asking how things were going. He ignored it without hesitation—the last thing he needed right now was her disappointment.

Just as he was pocketing his phone, it began to ring. The number was from Central City. Oliver answered the call enthusiastically, hoping it was Barry.

“Hello?”

“Oliver? It’s me, Barry.”

“Barry! I was beginning to think you wouldn’t call!”

“Well, I… wasn’t sure if you were serious,” Barry confessed. “Iris is the one who convinced me to call. I’m on my lunch break, so now seemed as good a time as any.”

“Tell her thank you for me,” Oliver chuckled. “Anyways, about that dinner…”

“Oh, right! Are you free tonight?” Barry asked.

“I can be,” Oliver replied suggestively. Barry laughed on the other end of the line. “You should pick the place—I don’t know where to get good food around here.”

“Well, there’s this great Italian place downtown,” Barry offered. “It’s a little fancy, but—wait, do you even like Italian? Sorry, I’m not very good at this.”

Oliver grinned stupidly. He had definitely missed Barry’s signature awkwardness. It was just as adorable as it had been before. “I love Italian.”

“Great!” Barry exclaimed, rattling off the address. “How about six o’clock?” He felt almost giddy right now, planning a date with _Oliver Queen_. A part of him still couldn’t believe this was happening. It was one thing to have met Oliver Queen at a party, but to go on a date with him was something completely different.

“That’s perfect, I can’t wait,” Oliver said, smiling to himself.

“Awesome, well ah, I’ll see you there,” Barry replied, lingering on the line awkwardly before finally hanging up.

Oliver sighed, setting his phone on the desk as though it was his most precious thing. He leaned back in his chair, allowing everything to sink in. After all the searching and being told to give up, Oliver had found Barry. And they were going on a _date!_ Thea would be thrilled to hear about it.

For the first time in… he wasn’t sure how long, Oliver could say he was happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahaha.. so it's still not over.  
> I felt bad making y'all wait longer, so I decided to post this chapter.  
> Please, let me know what you think. Don't let me get away with leaving six months between chapters!!  
> Come say hi on [tungle](http://www.adhd-barry-allen.tumblr.com)!

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't over, I think. I should be able to write another chapter, but if I don't, feel free to bug me a lot in the comments.


End file.
